A Trojan Bertram?

[Chanse]

"1982 Trojan Bertram 10 meter sedan, Trojan by Bertram 10 meter (33 ft), diesel Cummins 375 HP"
Now for your viewing pleasure on the one and only, e-bay!

[CaptPatrick]

No such thing; a Trojan Bertram...

Where some un-educated confusion comes into play is that Whittaker at, one point, owned both companies. There were no co-mingling of the two companies other than ownership and sharing of resources.

Trojan, apparently trying for a larger market share, actually produced a few models that had, (from the factory), the name Bertram included below the Trojan name. Apparently a lame attempt at recognition...

[Navatech]

Isn't Trojan the brand name for a manufacturer of prophylactics?!…

;-)))

[TailhookTom]

Before I bought my Tailhook, I was mislead down to a boatyard only to find the 31 Bertram was a 10 meter Trojan -- I don't think they ever found his body.......

[Chanse]

This is what I remember every time I hear Trojan mentioned;
the “SeaMar 3”.
http://michiganshipwrecks.org/shipwreck ... seamar-iii" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anderson vs Whittaker Corp.
http://www.leagle.com/decision/19881456 ... p764_11365" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My Bertram 26’ was owned by Curt Anderson and his wife at the time of his death.
His wife was also a licensed Capt, avid boater and sports fisherman.

In my opinion it should be slanderous to incorporate the two names together, i.e. Trojan and Bertram.
One represents quality in every sense and the other you just don’t want it springing a leak
when your applying maximum pressure on it in tight quarters!

[Bruce]

Frankly one can come up with deadly Bertram boat accidents also.
Without the boat, what happened is only speculation that any good lawyer with a cause can collect money for. We see it everyday in the courts.
I'm not sticking up for one company over another but based on my hands on experience of over 40 years of boat work on wooden and fiberglass craft, Trojan while certainly not my first pic as a boat, I service many over the years.

First after reading the story and the experience these guys had two things stick out. One if there was a storm, they should have had the life preservers on on a small 4 manned boat like that.
Two unless they had a weather station at home, calling home for a weather report is just not acceptable. There were weather reporting agencies with radar they could have contacted to get an accurate weather report. I remember before my dad took us on trips in the boat him calling flight service and the coast guard for up to date weather info.

The only explanation that makes sense if you want to give the experienced guys the benefit of the doubt would have been an explosion on board rendering the occupants disabled or dead unable to put their preservers on.

Whether that explosion was from a mechanical failure or from the engines stalling and trying to get them going by messing with raw fuel no one will ever know.

Besides any boat owner who owns a 32' boat with one bilge pump is a complete moron whether it came from the factory like that or not.

I know numerous reports of boats on plane bow proud who developed a leak or took on water with the aft bilge pump failing and the boat sinking right underneath the captain ass while he's putting along on the flybridge.

Sometimes people's experience is an obstacle, not an blessing.

[Mikey]

Well thought out and said, Bruce. As usual.

[Chanse]

Well there is now a new happy owner of the so called Trojan/Bertram. Sold for 50K.

On the SeaMar3 many have speculated on the demise of that boat and crew. Of course no one
knows more than anyone else regardless of experience. The manufacture had a Coast Guard
recall on the vents which supposedly allowed water to enter in certain conditions.
If that was a factor or not is still open for debate. My guess is that some of Curt’s last
Words may have been “ Damn if we were only in my Bertram now ”!

[Carl]

Unless I knew the boat well...I'll be dammed if I am taking a 4-5 hour ride at night going 90 miles across a large body of water.

Set off another day starting out in the morning... maybe early afternoon.

While the poop can hit the fan in daylight just as well as it can at night ...I think ability to see clearly is a huge aid...sloshing hatch covers...heavy wake, lack of headway, notice a proud bow, bow wave creep forward, sound of exhaust, heavy wheel, stern bilge pump pumping...anyone of those can get you to thinking something may be off and needs to be checked further. At night a couple of those clues are removed as you can't see as well.

Add some weather...Bertram, Trojan Bayliner...they are all corks in the water.

[Chanse]

Carl I agree with you 100%. Especially they just didn't know the boat I also agree with Bruce "Sometimes people's experience is an obstacle, not an blessing."
Of course any vessel made by any manufacturer even with state of the art electronics can become a disaster in the hands of incompetent command.
Still I shy far away from drunkin' boastful captains in krapy ill manufactured and maintained boats whomever and wherever they are . I don't even hear them on my
radio when they make distress calls anymore, must be my hearing i'm getting on in years. What did he say? A blue Bayliner? What? Outta gas? I don't hear anything now?
Radio must be malfunctioning turn the damn thing off!

[Bruce]

I seem to get the same malfunction on my cell phone when the wife calls.
Always seem to be driving into a tunnel.....in Florida where tunnels are called swimming pools.